This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Here are some more scans from vintage Viewmaster reels; today I decided to feature the Red Wagon Inn/Plaza Inn.

This first one is the earliest, when the place was still the Red Wagon Inn. Notice the weather vane - I never have before! I wonder if it is in somebody's collection. They might not even know that it is from Disneyland. Anyway, the landings and architecture are very harmonious and lovely, like something from a movie.

On July 15, 1965, the restaurant became the Plaza Inn, though it was much more than just a name change. It looked pretty much the same on the outside, but the weather vane has been changed to a rooster. I don't covet that one so much because I was frightened by chickens as a child. Those beady little eyes!

I've seen other photos that show pretty ladies (usually in yellow dresses) out front, greeting guests. Which is unusual... did any other restaurant have anything like that? Those little girls are hoping that she has matches so they can enjoy their Marlboro cigarettes (unfiltered).

NOTE: Hey! I will be out of town starting today, and as usual I won't have much access to a computer. Sure, I'll have my iPad along, but have you ever tried to do much typing on an iPad? It's no fun! Time to buy a Bluetooth keyboard.

Anyway, I'll be gone until Sunday evening, but there will be new posts every day, so keep on checking in. Have a great holiday weekend, everybody!

15 comments:

And I thought those little girls were merely going to exchange swizzle sticks with the lovely maiden all decked-out in yellow, as they had given up smoking the year before. (They were very ahead of their time).

The official title of that cast member "greeter" position out in front of the restaurant (in the last photo) was "Golden Girl". One of the cast members that held that position in the early eighties told us that.

I would have thought that would have been more differences between the Red Wagon Inn and the Plaza Inn. There are more multiple globe lights on street light standards but otherwise looks much the same. I remember that Wonderful World of Disney episode where John Hench is explaining the Plaza Inn to Walt. I thought thereweresome architectural differences.

Have a good time on your trip, Major. Thanks for all of your hard work and wit.

Nanook, why give up smoking? It’s the coolest, best thing that anybody can ever do.

TokyoMagic!, well that’s a new one! “Golden Girl”. Very cool!

Monkey Cage Kurt, if I don’t spend at least a few hours in jail, then this Thanksgiving will be a bust!

Gnometrek, thank you!

Patrick Devlin, they definitely did change the Plaza Inn from its Red Wagon days; but the part that we see in these photos looks kind of the same. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving too.

K. Martinez, I admit that I am looking forward to the big meal tomorrow! Except that my sister has now decided that we will not have little marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes because SHE doesn’t like them. No fair! Still, it will be excellent.

Major, What!? No candied sweet potatoes? I love those. I'm afraid I'm a sucker for all foods that are Thanksgiving.

Speaking of children and cigarettes, anyone remember candy cigarettes? When I was five, me and my sisters used to walk to the local convenience store to buy them and then would pretend to look cool "smoking" them. Ah the sugar habit! It'll kill ya!

I think you're right, TM. In typical Internet posting order: post some blather off the cuff; read a cogent response; go watch the footage in question; go read about the Red Wagon Inn.

It looks like John Hench is really working on the solaria as the major architectural change. And apparently the Red Wagon Inn was table service (?) and switched to the buffeteria we enjoy today. I think I'm going to the park on the 5th and I'll be having some of that pot roast if we go. Mmm. Pot roast.

And let us not forget the bubble gum cigars! They even had that paper ring label around them like real cigars had/have. And wasn't there shredded bubble gum that came in a pouch just like chewing tobacco? I think it was called Big League Chew or something like that, and it had a baseball player on the label. I even had (and still have it), a toy cigarette lighter that when you opened the lid and pressed on the little flicker thingy, a light bulb lit up where the flame was supposed to be. Talk about teaching them when they are young! They were doing it then and they are still doing it now. I can happily say that it didn't work on me. I have never smoked and I don't plan on starting anytime soon.